The meaning of Perfunctory

adjective

(of a device or process) working by itself with little or no direct human control.

Usage examples:

An automatic kettle that switches itself off when it boils

noun

A gun that continues firing until the ammunition is exhausted or the pressure on the trigger is released.

Usage examples:

The rapid fire of automatics

adjective

Of short duration; not lasting for long.

Usage examples:

The president made a brief working visit to moscow

noun

A set of instructions given to a person about a job or task.

Usage examples:

His brief is to turn round the county's fortunes

verb

Instruct or inform (someone) thoroughly, especially in preparation for a task.

Usage examples:

She briefed him on last week's decisions

adjective

Not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors.

Usage examples:

She had been careless and had left the window unlocked

adjective

Relaxed and unconcerned.

Usage examples:

A casual attitude to life

noun

A person who does something irregularly.

Usage examples:

A number of casuals became regular customers

adjective

Not serious or careful in attitude; only partly interested

Usage examples:

A casual glance at a magazine, even to the casual observer, the forgery was obvious., we have a sma…

adjective

Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed.

Usage examples:

A cursory glance at the figures

adjective

Done quickly with little attention to detail

Usage examples:

He gave the picture a cursory glance.

adjective

Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.

Usage examples:

A few people were left, dancing in a desultory fashion

adjective

Without a clear plan or purpose and showing little effort or interest

Usage examples:

She made a desultory attempt at conversation., he wandered around, cleaning up in a desultory way.

adjective

Lasting for a very short time.

Usage examples:

For a fleeting moment i saw the face of a boy

verb

Move or pass quickly.

Usage examples:

A variety of expressions fleeted across his face

Lasting for a markedly brief time

idiom

Feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm

adjective

Without enthusiasm or energy.

Usage examples:

A half-hearted attempt

adjective

Showing a lack of enthusiasm

Usage examples:

He made a half-hearted attempt to keep up with us, but soon fell back.

adjective

Done with excessive speed or urgency; hurried.

Usage examples:

A hasty attempt to defuse the situation

adjective

Hasty actions are done in a hurry, sometimes without the necessary care or thought

Usage examples:

He warned against making hasty decisions., now let's not leap to any hasty conclusions., we saw the…

adjective

Done in a hurry; rushed.

Usage examples:

I ate a hurried breakfast

verb

Move or act with great haste.

Usage examples:

We'd better hurry

adjective

Operated by a machine or machinery.

Usage examples:

A mechanical device

noun

The working parts of a vehicle.

Usage examples:

A major overhaul of the mechanicals

adjective

Of machines or their parts

Usage examples:

A mechanical problem, the garbagemen worked in a slow, mechanical way.

adjective

Ungraciously or offensively nonchalant or cool in manner.

Usage examples:

You were a bit offhand with her this afternoon

adverb

Without previous thought or consideration.

Usage examples:

I can't think of a better answer offhand

adverb

Now, without looking for information or without taking the time to consider carefully

Usage examples:

I can’t tell you the exact number offhand, but it was something like $25,000., offhand remarks, his…

adjective

Going past.

Usage examples:

Passing cars

noun

The passage of something, especially time.

Usage examples:

With the passing of the years she had become a little eccentric

verb

Move or cause to move in a specified direction.

Usage examples:

He passed through towns and villages

adjective

Moving fast or doing something in a short time.

Usage examples:

In the qualifying session he was two seconds quicker than his teammate

adverb

At a fast rate; quickly.

Usage examples:

He'll find some place where he can make money quicker

noun

The soft tender flesh below the growing part of a fingernail or toenail.

Usage examples:

You'll enjoy the movie if your idea of a good time is sitting glued to the edge of your seat chewin…

adjective

Happening in a short time or at a great rate.

Usage examples:

The country's rapid economic decline

noun

A fast-flowing and turbulent part of the course of a river.

Usage examples:

Those of you looking for adventure can shoot the rapids

adjective

Quick or sudden

Usage examples:

Rapid growth, there’s been rapid change in china., we kept up a rapid pace., males grow more rapidl…

noun

A sequence of actions regularly followed.

Usage examples:

I settled down into a routine of work and sleep

adjective

Performed as part of a regular procedure rather than for a special reason.

Usage examples:

The ministry insisted that this was just a routine annual drill

verb

Organize according to a routine.

Usage examples:

All had been routined with smoothness

adjective

Not thorough or detailed.

Usage examples:

The information they had was sketchy

adjective

Not detailed or not complete

Usage examples:

Officials provided only sketchy details of the trip.

noun

A brief statement or account of the main points of something.

Usage examples:

A summary of chapter three

adjective

Not including needless details or formalities; brief.

Usage examples:

Summary financial statements

noun

A brief, clear statement giving the most important facts about something

Usage examples:

The assignment was to write a summary of the news., in summary, chen’s book is a good introduction …

adjective

Existing or occurring at or on the surface.

Usage examples:

The building suffered only superficial damage

adjective

On the surface only; not deep

Usage examples:

A superficial wound, her book on the history of cars in america was extremely superficial., the sto…

noun

A thing serving as a visible or tangible representation of a fact, quality, feeling, etc.

Usage examples:

I wanted to offer you a small token of my appreciation

adjective

Done for the sake of appearances or as a symbolic gesture.

Usage examples:

Cases like these often bring just token fines from magistrates

noun

Something you give to someone or do for someone to express your feelings or intentions

Usage examples:

It isn’t a big present – it’s just a token of thanks for your help., subway tokens, a token fee, a …

adjective

Not interested in or concerned about something or someone.

Usage examples:

I was totally uninterested in boys

adjective

Not excited or not wanting to become involved

Usage examples:

He’s completely uninterested in sports.

adjective

Expressed, done, or acting without proper consideration of the consequences.

Usage examples:

She was at pains to correct unthinking prejudices

adjective

Not based on serious thought or an examination of the information

Usage examples:

What annoys me about these people is their unthinking hostility to anything foreign or unfamiliar.